Held at Birmingham

Berbatov's Christmas Cheers

Berbatov scores a brace as United see off Sunderland at home. Excellent team performance.

Arsenal beat Chelsea to claim the second spot and sent Chelsea into deeper trouble...

Christmas Cheers? We shall see. More games are coming.

The Real FB Wall

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Legend Ole Bids Farewell

Farewell Ole: Sir Alex Ferguson (left) presents former Manchester United striker Ole Gunner Solskjaer with a leaving present

Park Life

Park life

Park Ji-sung is a nightmare to play against and a joy to play with. He plays every game as if it's his last. His attitude is magnificent.

Man of the moment: Park Ji-Sung celebrates his match-winning goal

He doesn't have the quality of a Giggs, Kanchelskis or Sharpe - illustrious players from the past in his role - but you will have to go a long way to find a player with as much heart and desire.

He's a massive player for them. His goal was a bonus.

Handy Anderson

I would not have enjoyed playing against Anderson. He is an explosive player who runs away from his marker.

I picked him out as one to watch when he first came over here, but he hasn't shown his best form consistently.

He wasn't helped by a serious knee injury, but there have been question marks about his fitness and attitude. I hope the penny has dropped for him now.

Ji Header Sinks Gunners

Park Ji Sung's only goal help United regain the top spot by defeating Arsenal at home!

Rooney even can afford to miss a penalty as the 5-goal hero Berbatov was left on the bench to witness United's famous victory.

"We didn't create enough chances, our passing was not quick and sharp enough to get them out of position," Wenger added. "They were highly focused tonight not to make a defensive mistake."

No error materialised in another defiant display. "The back four were magnificent," Ferguson added. Plus ca change, as Wenger might say.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Anderson. A stop-start United career appears back on track. The Brazilian hassled and harried with energy and supported Rooney enthusiastically. Arsenal seem to bring out the best in him.

MANCHESTER UNITED VERDICT: They were impressive in most departments. The one exception was Van der Sar, who didn't need to excel. It will be interesting if Ferguson adopts the same approach, and keeps Berbatov in reserve again, for Sunday's trip to Chelsea. He, Ryan Giggs and, if fit, Paul Scholes may struggle to displace anyone.

ARSENAL VERDICT: The disappointment may be that, for all their attacking talent, they only managed one chance of note. Perhaps the game came too soon for Cesc Fabregas, who made his comeback as a substitute, and Robin van Persie, who has not been fully reintegrated into the team after his long lay-off but, of those selected ahead of them, Tomas Rosicky was ineffectual and Andrei Arshavin below his best. The recurring question - do they need another centre-back? - remains after an evening when Vidic and Ferdinand appeared a class above Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci.

ECL: Anderson Goal Helps United Top the Group

MU 1 Valencia 1, top the group. Now to the next knock out stage.

Anderson levels the score in the second half.

It was United's 150th goal in UEFA competitions on the night Ferguson changed his team for the 150th game in a row. There was still time for another landmark moment as Ryan Giggs came on as a late substitute for Nani to make his 850th appearance for the club.

How far can we go? Let's just see. I think not going to be very far, with teams like Barca and Real Madrid in such an amazing form.

Humiliation in Upton Park

West Ham hammered United 4-0 and ended our defend of Carling Cup.

Nightmare result. Johnny Evans was a poor poor defender in this match.

Barcelona 5 RM 0 - Not So Special against the Best Team

The Special One suffered his most humiliated defeat in his managerial career.

The Spanish press was littered with words such as 'thrashed', 'humiliated' and 'ridiculed' following Barcelona's comprehensive 5-0 defeat of arch rivals Real Madrid at the Camp Nou.

Madrid went into el clasico unbeaten in 19 competitive matches under new coach Jose Mourinho and boasting a one-point lead over second-placed Barca at the top of the Primera Division, but they were swept aside in stunning fashion by Pep Guardiola's troops.

Goals from Xavi and Pedro put the hosts 2-0 up after 18 minutes and then another of Barca`s World Cup-winning contingent David Villa added a quickfire brace at the start of the second half to make if 4-0 inside an hour.

Guardiola's side, who have now won five successive matches against Madrid - including a similarly emphatic 6-2 mauling at the Bernabeu in 2009, added a fifth goal in stoppage-time through Jeffren before Madrid lost Sergio Ramos to a straight red card for scything down Lionel Messi.

This morning's newspapers in Spain were universal in their reporting of Barca's overwhelming dominance in what had been one of the most eagerly awaited clasicos in recent times.

The front page of Catalonia-based daily Sport had a picture of a splayed hand with the headline: '5-0. Slap to Mourinho. Thrashing, humiliation and leaders!'

It added: 'Footballing lesson from Barca to Madrid who received another historic thrashing at the Camp Nou.'

Sport, who also advertised on its front page T-shirts commemorating the victory, added inside: 'Another golden page for Barca. Spectacular game of the Azulgranas which ridiculed their rivals. The humiliation left Mourinho hiding on the bench.

The whole world saw how there is still no team like Barca.'

Sport's fellow Barcelona-based paper El Mundo Deportivo's front cover was emblazoned with a huge 5-0 over the picture of Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes and centre-back Gerard Pique holding up their hands up with fingers outstretched in celebration of the result.

It's headline read: 'Madrid thrashed!'

Madrid-based Marca also praised Barca but pointed an accusing finger at referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez as well.

On it's online edition the headlines were: 'Slap to Real Madrid' and 'This Barca is a machine'.

The Five in Seven Wonders!

Park scored the 2nd in the 7-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.

Dimitar Berbatov became the fourth player in Premier League history to score five in a match.

Berbatov made sure he had the matchball in his hands within seconds of the final whistle, and who could blame him?

The Old Trafford faithful who turned up hoping to see Wayne Rooney score his long-awaited first goal of the season from open play left eulogising instead about his £31million partner - one of the most talented, if slightly work-shy, players to ever wear a United shirt.

Berbatov's five goals equalled a Premier League scoring record previously shared between Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and Jermain Defoe. But for a splendid late save from Paul Robinson, he would have added a sixth and held the record on his own.

Clutching the match ball, he said: 'It is good to have Wayne back. He knows how I play and I know how he plays and we understand each other's game well. We showed that on the pitch.

'I can't believe I scored five. I have scored five before but it was a long time ago back home. To do it in the Premier League and stand next to Shearer and Andy Cole is a great honour.

'The first goal was the most important, it was early in the game and gave us confidence to play.'

Incredibly, Berbatov had gone 10 games without a goal but manager Sir Alex Ferguson had predicted a return to form once he could pair him with Rooney.

'They were fantastic together. To score five is a fantastic achievement and he could have had six but Paul Robinson made a wonderful save,' said the Old Trafford manager.

Penalty Wayne! Rangers 0 - 1 MU

Rooney netted a late penalty to send United into the 2nd round of the ECL.

A timely return? We shall see...

Rooney Returns: MU 2 Wigan 0

Nobody is bigger than the club. Wayne learned that and he is back.

Wayne Rooney's first game for United after the infamous "I Quit" threat. It has been about a month Rooney didn't play. He is back as second half substitute appearance against Wigan yesterday.

Evra heads in Park's cross in the end of first half before Chicharito scored a great header after Wigan was reduced to 9-men.

Patrice Evra’s first for more than three years, set up by Ji-sung Park.

‘I might buy him a car for Christmas,’ said Evra.

Another Draw at Villa Park (Lucky draw)

Macheda makes it 1-2... and then Vidic makes it 2-2 with a late late header...

United came back from going 0-2 down to Villa to stay unbeaten. Good fighting spirit but this is not going to do it. Dropping far too many points already for any title challenge hope.

Also, they played poorly, Berbatov and Hernandez were not threatening the weaken Villa side.

Poor. Very poor.

Dull Draw at Eastlands (City 0 - 0 Utd)

Very dull match at City today.

It got a bit lively when Rafael clashed briefly with Tevez, as it did when Vidic hacked down a marauding Yaya Toure. But the half ultimately ended in disappointment, even if the six Manchester derbies prior to this had also reached the interval without producing a goal.

Interestingly, the home team failed to win on all six occasions as well and the away team looked the more dangerous of the teams. Although only marginally.

The second half was much like the first. Dimitar Berbatov met a cross from Wes Brown with a super volley that invited an excellent save from Hart, but that was pretty much it.

There might now be a mutual respect between the players but it did not make much of a spectacle for those hoping to see something rather more memorable.

Park to the rescue but for how long?

United beat Wolves 2-1 at home, thanks to 2 goals Park JS. Clearly the strength in depth is non-existent. It is a worrying sight. Bebe is a joke at the right flank, even I can cross better than him! And I am not kidding.

To be honest, this team doesn't deserve the title, in any way I try to make sense out of it, I don't think we deserver the English Premier League title. Not at all.

Do we need to buy? Yes. Do we have the money to buy? No. Obviously we don't.

Enough said. Park Ji Sung was inspiring last night, but that was about the only positive thing out of it.

Oh, and that Hargreaves guy was trying to make a come back, for 4 minutes. I think we can officially write him off the squad list for good. He is done.

The Special Notes - Jose Mourinho

Ever wondered what The Special One scribbles down in the dugout?

He is world class. He got football brain. And what does he write in the notes during a match?

Here is an interesting look into Jose Mourinho's notes taking and analysis.

The note at 2:16 in the video reads:

…Attacks
Counter attack P
Penetration against dead ball.

Pace of the ball and movement tr9 [David Trezeguet]

Time

While at 2:45, Mourinho writes:

Fast pitch, penetration

dead ball
change right wing
attacks

Penetration tr9

Turkish Delight: Fletcher, Obertan and Bebe shine!

Bursaspor 0 Manchester United 3

Ferguson will have been delighted as he began the long haul home from Turkey in the early hours of this morning. This is a season that, for all the fuss over the Wayne Rooney contract saga, continues to steadily improve.

What will have concerned him, though, are injuries to Fletcher’s ankle and Nani’s groin that forced off both players. With a derby looming, Ferguson can do without worries over two key players.

Nani scores a weird goal as United beat Spurs

Weird 2nd goal, but who cares!

Vidic scored a stunning header after a superb delivery from Nani in the first half.

Better team performance this time. Park JS was lively.

Carling Cup: Chicharito & Bebe impressed to sink Wolves

Little Pea is scoring freely at the moment. Came in as substitute (replaced goal-scoring-debutant Bebe) to net the winner against Wolves in the 4th Round Carling Cup match.

Park JS scored a stunning second.

Is Rooney going to get any game time when he returns with Javier's goal scoring form?

Lack to Talents? Just watch Chicharito!

With a flick of the back of his head, Javier Hernandez put Manchester United on their way to victory at Stoke on Sunday and left fans and pundits alike purring at his ingenuity.

Two great goals. A genius. Absolutely brilliant.

First away win of the season. Now, get to the race.

Iain Dowie: "It was certainly deliberate. It looks to me like Sir Alex Ferguson has found a new Ole Gunnar Solskjaer."

Now Rooney is Staying!

This is a little bit hard to digest... Sensational drama in the last couple of days.

One thing for sure, Sir Alex Ferguson is the best manager in the world, and probably in the history of football. The way he handles the whole situation and turns it around is simple outstanding.

United really do have a superb manager.

And that stupid fella, Wayne, is the most stupid yet talented player. What is next now for him? How is he going to win back the supporters' trust? It is an interesting turn on event and we are in for an exciting season now!

Football, bloody hell.

Nani Cracker won it against Bursaspor

There was a Champions League football match at Old Trafford last night but even for those who paid the admission price to witness Manchester United secure three more points, the focus was elsewhere.

It was on Wayne Rooney, and on the team, and the squad, he now considers to be beneath him. On the players he seems to think are no longer good enough to keep him here at Old Trafford. What was that Sir Alex Ferguson said about a lack of respect?

Nani revealed the players are not distracted by the ongoing saga, however, insisting it is business as usual with his team-mates determined to put performances right on the pitch following an indifferent start to the season.

'The situation has not affected us,' he told MUTV.

'He [Wayne Rooney] is an important player for us but we know what is more important for the club and that is to win games and make the fans happy.'

Defender Chris Smalling also declared that Rooney's situation has not unsettled the squad and their hard-fought win over the Turkish outfit was proof spirit remains high.

He said: 'There's been a great team spirit all week, everybody was focused after a good training session going into the game and I think that showed on the pitch.'

The Rooney Saga

January 31: Rooney scores his 100th league goal at the Emirates as United beat Arsenal 3-1.

February 6: Rooney is "the best player in the world" says Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti.

February 16: Two headers against Milan help United to a 3-2 away win.

February 28: Rooney continues to benefit from his improved heading (and some excellent crossing from his teammates) as he scores his fifth headed goal in a row in United's Carling Cup final victory over Aston Villa.

March 2: Rooney is "the best in the world" says England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

March 10: "Rooney is the best player in the world," says Milan's David Beckham, after Rooney scores twice - taking his tally to 30 for the season - in United's 4-0 victory over Milan.

March 11: Rooney is "the best player in the world," along with Lionel Messi, says Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini.

March 17: "On current form, Wayne Rooney is the best in the world," says pundit Mark Lawrenson confidently, sealing Rooney's fate...

March 30: Rooney twists an ankle after scoring in the second minute as United lose to Mayern Munich in the away leg of their Champions League quarter-final. He's ruled out for three weeks, and won't score again until late August.

April 7: Rooney returns ahead of schedule for the return leg - and promptly injures the same ankle. United go 3-0 up but concede twice and exit the competition on away goals. Had Rooney made a miraculous recovery, or was Alex Ferguson risking his striker's fitness because he suspected his side lacked a plan B?

May 4: Rooney is named PFA Player of the Year. But Chelsea go on to win the league by a point as Didier Drogba finishes as the league's top scorer.

June 18: The low point of a dismal World Cup campaign for a striker who was supposed to use the tournament to cement his world-class status. Rooney attacks England fans after England draw with Algeria. "Nice to see your home fans booing you, that's loyal supporters."

August 28: Rooney scores a penalty as United beat West Ham 3-0. It's the striker's first goal in more than 18 and a half hours of competitive football. But any hopes that Rooney will get back to scoring ways are soon dashed.

September 5: The News of the World alleges that Rooney had been sleeping with a prostitute while his wife Coleen was pregnant. Could his personal strife be the cause of his sporting woes?
September 11: Sir Alex Ferguson leaves Rooney out of the squad for United's game against Everton, claiming that he didn't want to expose his striker to the vindictive taunts of his old crowd. United draw 3-3.

September 19: Rooney turns in a decent performance as United beat Liverpool 3-2, but is overshadowed by a new hero: Dimitar Berbatov stakes his claim to the central striker's position with a brilliant hat-trick.

September 30: Rooney is left out of the side as United beat Valencia 1-0 in the Champions League - this time Ferguson claims that a niggling ankle injury was the cause of the problem. The manager gives the same reason when Rooney doesn't play as United play Sunderland away three days later.

October 13: After playing the full 90 minutes in England's goalless draw with Montenegro Rooney publicly denies having an ankle problem.

“I’ve had no problems with my ankle all season,” Rooney said. “I’ve been training for the last two months and I haven’t missed a training session so there’s no problem with my fitness.”

Asked why Ferguson had said that he did have an ankle injury, Rooney replied: “Don’t know.”

Rooney in Danger of United Exit

FERGUSON FALL-OUTS

Sir Alex Ferguson has fallen out with some high-profile figures at Old Trafford. We pick out some of the major bust-ups from his career.

JAAP STAM
The Dutch defender was considered to be one of the best centre-backs in the world when Sir Alex sold him to Lazio in 2001. Stam had angered his manager by releasing a warts-and-all autobiography, Head to Head, in which he gave his opinion on several of his United team-mates and claimed Sir Alex made an illegal approach to sign him from PSV Eindhoven. Sir Alex later admitted selling Stam was a mistake.

PAUL INCE
Rarely one to leave a club in anything other than acrimonious circumstance, Ince moved to Old Trafford from West Ham United after being pictured in United shirt before signing. The England midfielder got too big for his boots at United and he was sold to Inter Milan in 1995. Sir Alex branded Ince as a "bottler" and a "big-time Charlie".

DAVID BECKHAM
Beckham's love of the media spotlight had long riled Sir Alex, believing that his star winger was spending too much time lapping up the attention of the paparazzi with his pop star girlfriend. It all reached a head in February 2003 when, after an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, Sir Alex kicked a boot across the changing room which hit Beckham above the eye. Beckham made sure the whole world saw that he required stitches and at the end of the season he was sold to Real Madrid.

GABRIEL HEINZE
Heinze suffered an amazing fall from grace at United, from wearing the captain's armband for the last two games of the 2006-07 season to pleading to join arch-rivals Liverpool in a £6.8 million deal just two months later. He never played for United again and was sold to Real Madrid.

ROY KEANE
Few players at United get away with public criticism of the team, and talismanic midfielder Keane was not exempt. Granted, his star may have waned by the time he began slagging of the likes of Darren Fletcher in 2005, along with facilities on the club's pre-season tour. Within a few months he was out of the club as, in November, they mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY
Van Nistelrooy's time at Old Trafford came to an end at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season after an alleged training ground fight with Cristiano Ronaldo led to the striker being benched for the remaining six games of the season. Sir Alex's view on the affair was clear as Van Nistelrooy was sold in the summer.

THE BBC
Sir Alex will still not give any interviews to the broadcaster, which holds the Premier League rights in the UK, after a documentary made accusations against his son. Despite the Premier League introducing a new rule for this season to force managers to speak after games, Sir Alex still refuses to face their cameras. Just what those in power can do to Sir Alex to make him speak is unclear.

JOHN MAGNIER
Once one of Sir Alex's best friends and business partner in the ownership of the highly-successful racehorse Rock of Gibraltar, they fell out in 2004 over stud returns in the region of £75 million. John Magnier and his partner JP McManus, through their company Cubic Expressions, owned 25% of United at the time and tried to force a rolling one-year contract on Ferguson and an investigation into how the club was being run.

The Story of Wayne Rooney

Any other week and it would have been headline-grabbing stuff but, amid the legal wreckage of the Liverpool affair, it took almost 24 hours for the news agenda to swing in the direction of Wayne Rooney.

GettyImages

Wayne Rooney: Spoke out after lacklustre showings against Montennegro

Delivered in the aftermath of a decidedly low-quality England performance against Montenegro, Rooney attempted to shift the focus away from his poor form and instead chose to open a can of worms. "I've had no problems with my ankle all season," Rooney said. "I've been training for the last two months and I haven't missed a training session so there's no problem with my fitness." Asked why Sir Alex Ferguson had said that he did have an ankle injury, Rooney replied: "Don't know." Cue frenzied talk of a rift and reports that new contract talks are on the rocks.

The football media loves nothing better than a Fergie feud, and especially when it is with a leading player. Rooney's declaration flew in the face of his manager's statement that his striker would miss the trip to Valencia and a visit to Sunderland because of a need to recover from the putative injury. It also acted against TV evidence of his being treated with an ice-pack at Bolton, and photographic evidence of his leaving a hospital after a reported scan.

"I think Wayne will be two to three weeks," Sir Alex Ferguson had said before going on that attacking form of defence familiar to those who brave his press conferences. "It is a straightforward ankle injury. Nobody likes to be injured but he is. There is nothing you can do about it. What do you want me to say? Do you want me to describe every ligament? Christ."

Could this be the beginning of one of those long goodbyes that have littered the Fergie years? Is Rooney to follow the likes of Strachan, Leighton, Ince, Beckham, Keane and Van Nistelrooy in a gradual cold-shouldering that leads to an exit in which it is agreed by all parties, though really Ferguson, that it really was time to move on?

The warnings signs are there, and Rooney may have already broken a golden rule in lifting the lid on his manager's machinations. But then, perhaps Rooney is different to such predecessors. Is he of the elite group of players that Ferguson will indulge? That list contains Robson, Schmeichel, Cantona and, latterly, Ronaldo. Keane was of that number until that bitter end, while both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have also escaped the black spot when becoming embroiled in run-ins with the boss.